Orphans Beloved: Prisoner
by regertz
Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.
1. Chapter 1

Orphans Beloved: "Prisoner…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later. I do plan at least one longer tale, "Nessun Dorma" but that's just getting sketched now.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Crash of thunder…Thunderclouds overhead…

Bongo drum opening of theme from "The Prisoner…" (The 60s series) plays as a red minivan backs out with squeal of brakes from a house garage and zips through the pleasant suburban development, picking up speed as it reaches the highway, then turning with a minimal amount of yield onto the freeway. Theme swelling as car races down freeway…

Inside, a grimly determined Allison Hendrix, Dyad release contract firmly clenched in hand, vise grip on steering wheel. Not a day to be taking the freeway if you can avoid it.

Donnie Hendrix seated a bit reluctantly beside her. Pasting supportive look at her occasional glance.

At the proper exit, rapid departure from the freeway, leaving Donnie a bit breathless as they race past several cars…

Ally…?

"Sorry." Grim, fixed stare.

After a few minutes, signs indicating "The Dyad Institute…Where Tomorrow is Already…"…She turns on to the main drive.

Guard at gate eyes minivan. She puts down window, cold stare. Quick flash of license…

"Ma'am…Do you have…?"

Nhhnt!...She waves to cut him off.

"Do not even try to tell me I need an appointment. You know who I am. Let me through or the police will."

"Uh…One mo…" the guard looks for radio.

She drives on, ignoring him.

"Ally?"

"Don't." Coolly.

Sigh…

"Sorry. Thank you for coming."

"What I'm here for…" he nods at her stare, a rather grateful one for an instant, then immediately back to grim stare ahead.

She pulls in the parking lot at Building 1, underground parking garage, taking spot marked for "Rachel Duncan-Reserved"…And is out in an instant, contract clutched.

"Uh, Ally…That spot says…"

"Come on." She motions for Donnie to follow…And heads for nearest door to building.

Elevator opens on main office floor…Allison, dark rage on face, Donnie hurrying after…

Ignoring receptionist… "Ma'am, whom do you…?" Quick scan of office list by main desk…

Door of large office…The same Sarah had entered a few nights before…Thrown open…

"Rachel Duncan" prominent on the said door…

"Well…Hello…Allison?" Rachel looks up from her desk… "Just got your rather incoherent e-…"

"Allison, how are…" Aldous Leekie, seated near Rachel on her office sofa, offering smile…

"There's your so-called contract." Allison tearing it in pieces, tossing it on Rachel's desk.

"Mrs. Hendrix?" Rachel eyes her coolly. Jumping as Allison smashes a fist on the desk…

"Lies! All lies! Patent us?! Patent my rather nicely tight ass!…What my sister told you, proclone!" she whirls and heads out…

"Allison?" Leekie calling from his seat…Eyeing the hapless Donnie who gives a "what am I gonna do?" shrug, hurrying after Allison…

"Ally?" calling after her as he follows.

"Come on, Donnie!"

Rachel frowning at her broken tea cup…Wet contract pieces on desk.

Aldous eyeing her…She giving rather arch look.

Right, contracts…That was the way to go, Aldous…

"Duncan here…" she tells lifted phone. "What do you mean, you couldn't find a parking space for my cleaned car? She what?! Parked in my what?!..." Slams down receiver, glaring at Leekie…

Allison stalking out…Glaring her way past several bewildered office staff, guards…Donnie hurrying to keep up with her grim stride to the elevator…They exit the building a few moments later.

At Rachel's desk, she finishes typing into computer… Hendrix, Allison…R5WZY78I…Contact…Terminated. Aldous peering at screen… "With extreme prejudice, Aldous…" she said, coldly…Not looking at his sighing face…

By the time Allison and Donnie have returned to the family minivan, a picture of Allison is entering a vast filing system… "Contact…Terminated" on photo.

"That's that." Allison driving grimly.

"You sure you want to drive, honey? You're pretty upset?"

"Never better. We pick up the suitcases, make sure everything's set, then over to Mom's to get the kids and we go."

"Ok…" nod. "Where do we go?"

"Where Dyad can't send monitors and examiners and, maybe, psychotic sisters, after me, you, or our family. Or at least as far as we can manage. We always talked about a long vacation in South America."

"South America?!"

"Brazil…It's big…We have our passports."

But Ally?...My job?"

"You'll find one in Brazil. I'll go back to work. The kids will love Brazil."

"But…" he tried.

"You said you were 110% behind me on this when I told you what was up with Dyad and showed you the proof of my sisters. Don't tell me you were humoring me?"

"Sure, yes…I mean, no. Of course I believe you, I saw your sisters on computer last night."

"I'm not taking any chances with Dyad and Neolution. They're despicable bastards and we're getting away from them before they harm you or the kids."

"They wouldn't? Would they?" he stared.

"Dyad Institute and its Neolutionists are capable of anything where we're concerned."

"Right…" he nodded… "You're right, honey. Lets go…Oh, I should get over to the office, turn in my notice, get the severance paperwork done, and make sure my severance will get to our account…We're gonna need every penny."

"Ok, do that with your car while I load up the van…Fifteen minutes, then we vamoose, Donnie."

"Right."

"Thanks." Quick beam, squeeze of free hand on his. "It's the safest thing for the kids too."

"Right. It's all good."

Hendrix home…Allison grabbing suitcases, looking for some house and legal documents…

Check the gas one last time…Ok…Water's off…Oh, upstairs, make sure the water's off and everything's copacetic…

She runs up…Peering into bathroom…Ok, alls set. Just check bedroom last time for anything plugged in and downstairs we go.

Hmmn…Lil' dizzy…

Did I mix my meds this morning? OHHHH…She collapses on bed, unconscious from colorless, odorless gas pumped in.

Funereally dressed man in top hat at house door…

"Hey, got the wrong house, mister…" kid calls. "The blonde lady who croaked was in the house down the street." Points.

Grim look from man causing kid to back off…

The funereally dressed man pulls cell phone…

Allison, waking some time later…

God, really gotta check those meds and get them straight.

"Donnie?" she calls, rising…

"Donnie?! We have to get going!" she heads downstairs…

Hmmn…No Donnie…Dragging his feet at the office saying goodbye to that Michelle no doubt…Well, he has been good about all this...Hmmn? Eyes curtains.

"That's not my tassel…" she eyes curtain tassels…

Something is wrong. The shade of paint in here…Is not that warm but muted shade I picked. Close, near perfect, maybe, but not the real deal. And the smell…No…This isn't my house.

She hurries to the phone. Dialing…"Please state number you wish to call?" "Hello? Hello, operator?"

Odd…Never had to do that before…

"Please state number you wish to call…"

She tried giving her mother's number.

"That is not a valid Village number…" the voice noted. "Please give a valid number."

"Yes, hello…Did I misdial? I want an outside line to…"

"Please give a valid Village number…"

"What?"

"Greetings, Number R5WZY78I …" a voice, cheerily addressed to her…

From the TV…She stared.

"I am the new Number Four…" Donnie, now in black suit with white trim and a prominent "4" on his lapel beamed at her from the screen, he seated in rather odd 1960s bubble chair.

"Donnie?" she blinked. "What's with the slight Brit accent? Are you trying to be funny?"

"Number Four…"

"Donnie, stop this nonsense and…"

"Number…"

She glared…His poise somewhat crumbling under her withering look.

"What's this mean, Donald?" glare… "This isn't our house…Where am I?"

Ah…My cue…He beamed… "In the Village…" he notes

"What?"

"Pleasant Village, actually…Yes, you, Number R5WZY78I, are in…"

OH…

"You lied to me, Donnie?! You were my monitor all the time?!" she glared. "Donald Hendrix, you worthless…I trusted you…I loved you!" she raged, running to door…Throwing it open.

"I say, Number Four…Ummn…" he eyed her running out…

To find herself indeed in…Pleasant Village…About twenty miles outside the city and thirty from their old home.

The rather nicer gated development she and he had looked at before buying but really…A bit out of their price range and frankly, overpriced, they'd agreed.

Hmmn…She turned and re-entered the house, a rather good copy of their old one but a bit ritzier outside…

Phew…Oh…I get it…She beamed.

Then frowned…But really not the time…

"Donnie? I thought we'd agreed Pleasant Village wan't worth the money…What is this? Were you trying to surprise me? Is this a…?"

"Number R5WZY78I, we don't use names here…Well, at least not during working hours and not for clones." He eyed her from the TV screen.

"Donnie…Fun is fun but I've had a rough time recently and I don't want to stay in this country, let alone the state or this city. Now come and help me with the bags and we…Donald Hendrix, don't you go black on me!" she eyed the dark screen.

"Donnie!"

Fine…Damnit! She went back out the front door to the street…Looking for the garage.

Hmmn…No garage…At the prices we saw listed here, no garage? Oh, I can't believe he'd buy this place, sight unseen…At least by me…And not even remember we have to have a two-car garage, even in a famously high-security, gated…Ok, well forget it. We're not stayin'…

"Where the car? Donnie! I want the van, right now!" grim call. "Come on, Donnie…Don't make me angry with you after I've been feeling so guilty…!"

"Van…" he turned to the dimunitive little butler at the side of the large control room which his odd chair sat in the midst of… "No, wait…"

Jesus, he stared at the screen…I keep starting to do everything she tells me to…I'm supposed to be running her, not viceversa…

"Donnie?! Are you listening to me?! Fine! No van?! I'll go find a bus, thank you very much!" she stalked away, headed for the main road.

"Stupid, miserable…" she grimly murmured.

"Number R5WZY78I, please return to your home at once…" Donnie's voice from a rather kitschy lamp post on the street.

"Donnie?! If this is a joke, knock it off, now and I'll try to accept the joke with good grace." She glared at the talking lamppost. "I know I've been a little difficult recently and if you stop it right now…Maybe sex tonight."

Hmmn…Donnie pondered…

Wait…I'm Number Four…Lets get head clear here, man.

Fine…She glared at the post, hurrying off.

Oh, there she goes…He watched on the large screen of his control room. Camera angles switching rapidly…

"Supervisor? This is Number Four…" Donnie told phone…

Ow, damn 60s retro chair…These things do nothing but cut off the circulation.

"Yellow alert, the new subject is upset and may attempt to…"

He eyes screen on which Allison can be seen running for the "Pleasant Village" exit gate, passing a large billboard… "Pleasant Village, Such a Nice Place to Live, You'll Never Want to Leave!"

"Supervisor Tomas, here…" Tomas in control room, eyeing screen… "Yellow alert, prepare to release Rover…"

Helena, curled up in cage frowns at guards around cage… "Rover? Like dog? I hate that name, Tomas."

"Helena…" ingratiating tone… "Child, you are the avenging Rover…Protecting us from the evil false ones…You must do your duty and save us from their vile and abominable curse." He intoned to her…

"Orange alert. Orange alert. Subject number R5WZY78I is approaching the Village exit…Release Rover…" technician watching the furious Allison on screen.

"GRRRT…" Helena glared. "Said I hate name! No more this dog's name! I have done my duty to God, Tomas."

The cage opens on one side, to the outside…

"Go, Helena! Do not let the false one escape into the world…" Tomas, insistent…

Yeah, yeah…She frowned back. "Where's my lucky knife, Tomas? Need my lucky knife…Tomas…" wheedling tone, seductive look.

Oh, no way is she getting that knife again…He rolled eyes.

"You won't need knife, Helena…Just stop evil sister from escaping…She will contaminate the world with her lies and steal the child, your true daughter!"

And still not getting a paycheck from these guys…Working, no paying? Not right. "Not very nice since move down here, Tomas!" she glared.

"Helena, do your duty!"

Loud feral cry as she emerges from the side of a building, the Village Town Hall, proclaimed by large sign, and races toward the gate where Allison is about to try and charge the guard…A single security fellow for appearances sake…

Both whirl to see a whitish figure approaching at high speed…

Uh-oh…The guard backed away…

"It's Rover!" he hurried into his booth…Allison staring as Helena raced at her… and paused before her.

"Hello, sister…Who are you?" Helena eyed her. "You know Sarah, my twin sister who shot me and take our little girl?"

"Helena?" Allison blinked, backing.

Hmmn… "Helena is my name too…" smile. "We both named 'Helena'? Opens nice possibilities…You wear nice clothes." She noted. "We should have lunch. Talk about crazy sister and Kyra."

"My name's not Helena, you idiot! And I'm not having lunch with you!"

"I didn't think so, sister…But…I give benefit of doubt, not wanting to call sister liar. No lunch? Rude, I try be nice. What is your name, false little sister?

"They said they only use numbers here…"

"They?" Helena stared.

"Right, you work for Jesus with a little help from your psycho handler."

"Tomas?" Helena looked round…

"Do your duty to God, child!" insistent pronouncement from loudspeaker by guard's station.

Sound of approaching vehicles…Allison turns to see goons with real guns in rather souped-up golf carts bearing down…

"Sorry, got to go and meet my sisters so we can have this place burned to the ground!" she eyed Helena.

"We'll have to do lunch some other time! Donnie Hendrix, you worthless creep! This time I do want a divorce! 'Number Four'?...About what I'd expect…"

Oww…Donnie stared.

"I think she means it." The butler noted sadly, watching. "Always terrible when a family breaks up…"

"Ally… R5WZY78I, I mean…It took a long time to get this far…And I'm right behind 2 and 3 in the field organization." His voice on loudspeaker… "You don't know how hard I've worked here…And I've got a great retirement package…All for you and the kids…"

"Liar!" she cried.

"Who you talking to, sister?" Helena stared. "You get shot in head, too? We go back in now, Tomas get you medical attention or kill you, he not say." Shrug.

"I'm leaving…" Allison insisted…

"If I not clobber unconscious, they shoot…" Helena noted, indicating the approaching guards pulling guns… "Come now, be reasonable girl. We go do lunch in Village café. Nice restaurant."

Allison fumed but…More guards now coming to cut her off…

"What's this all about?" Allison glared.

"Lunch is about eating…" Helena eyed her. "You diet freak or something?"

"No, idiot!...I mean all this…!" she indicated the place.

"Nice place, huh? I here since come from Europe. Tomas bring me back here after I crawl back to warehouse after Sarah, crazy girl, shoot me in head. Play dead for day. Ow. Head still hurt but heal fast." She patted her head.

"It's about information…Information…Information…" Donnie's voice from the loudspeaker.

"Who that?" Helena stared. "New guy? Last was English guy too…He move up, I think."

"I'm no longer a Dyad lab rat, Donnie!" Allison glared. "Tell that freak proclone and her partner, master, daddy…I'm not playing with them anymore. And I'm taking the kids, Donnie! You better have a good job, here…You're gonna need it when I and the court get through with you."

"She's right, you know, sir." The little butler noted. "What with the criminal abuse, the lying…The judge is going to take you to the cleaners…If she lives to ever reach a judge…And he's not one of ours…"

Hmmn…Donnie pondered.

"Rover, bring Number R5WZY78I…"

"Hate dog's name, dork!" Helena called. "Call me Helena or get other killer sister to help you!" she stared at the loudspeaker. "Divorce? You married to rude sister? You my brother-in-law?"

"Not for long!" Allison fumed. "You can have him."

"Really? Is nice? Cutey?" Helena perked up.

"I used to think so…But he's an asshole." Allison, grimly.

"Come, we talk…Do lunch." Helena offered hand. "Better than clobber or shoot, I tell you."

Eh…Allison sighed. "I guess I can escape later."

"Maybe I go too…Tired of Tomas ordering me round like dog. 'Helena, Rover…Go kill this one, go clobber this one fore she escape. God wills it. Right. And always code name, 'Rover'…Doggie name. No pay, no shopping. Sucky job. Come, we talk."

"Number R5WZY78I, you are to report to my office immediately!" Donnie's voice, a bit anxious.

"Go Hell, stupid brother…Come, sister." Helena pulled at Allison's sleeve.

"Ally? Please…" Donnie's voice, pleading now. "You're making me look bad, here. They monitor us too, you know. All they really wants a little info and a few tests…And to see if the genetic manipulations they did kill you or drive you insane…And the deal I made with them sets us up for life…Honey…Really, I did this all for you. It's just…You really have to resign that release form, sweetheart. Ally…?"

"I'm not talking to you…" Allison, grimly…Following Helena.

"Ally?...Please…Just a little signature…Please, honey…" Donnie's pleading voice…

Rachel eyeing Aldous as they watch in her office on computer.

"I knew Hendrix was the worst possible choice here… 'Number Four' indeed…Look at him cringe every time she yells at him…He needs to be replaced, Aldous."

"Number 3's kinda busy with Cosima right now…" Aldous sighed.

"Then Number 2…After all, we're pursuing Dr. S with our other agents and we may have to be fairly ruthless to get Kyra back from her."

"I say we just leave Sarah on the trail…" Leekie shrugged. "She'd find her when our best fail."

"Probably right." Rachel nodded, reflecting. "Then Number 2 is free to take charge here…"

"Oh…No…" an annoyed Felix, entering…In same black suit with white trim as Donnie, No 2 pinned prominently on the scarf round his neck… "I said I'd never do suburbia again and I meant it, people…"

"Two…The greater good." Aldous sighed. "And you get on with Allison…"

"Chair has to go…" Felix noted, firmly.


	2. Chapter 2

I hope to do a little "OB-Prisoner" vid on my Buffy Rebeccaverse-Orphanverse page site sometime as I'm rather fond of this one. The image of a grim Allison, power bangs prominent, driving that mini-van like Patrick McGoghan is just too fun, not to mention Donnie and Fee as Numbers Four and Two.


End file.
